During a conversation on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the actor looked back on his initial response to the 2015 film and admitted feeling a sense of "relief" when he initially lost the role to Charlie Hunnam. Dornan explained, "because I knew that guy is going to get wrecked here."
The 41-year-old actor elaborated on the unexpected turn of events, sharing, "[Hunnam] maybe felt the same … suddenly there I was, but with way less time to make a decision. I got cast five weeks before we started filming."
Dornan also revealed that his decision to join the erotic drama was far from straightforward. He sought advice from numerous people, including friends, family, and fellow actors, before committing to the role. "It wasn't an instant yes by any means," Dornan added. "It needed to be talked through. I sought counsel from friends, family, a lot of actors."
The actor clarified that his initial hesitation stemmed from the awareness of the baggage that came with the Fifty Shades franchise. He understood that the film would likely be financially successful, embraced by fans, but met with criticism from critics, mirroring the experience of the books. Dornan explained, "That's what happened with the books, and that's what we were making. We were staying truthful to the books, and we knew what that would be."
As expected, Fifty Shades of Grey went on to generate $1.3 billion worldwide in box office revenue, but it received poor reviews from critics, earning a mere 24% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
